Label or hanging loop for garments, and method of forming and attaching the same



w. cAN'rR'ELI. 2,634,422

April 14, 1953 w, l

LABEL 0R HANGING Loop FoR GARNENTS, AND METHOD 0F FORNING AND ATTACHING THE SAME Filed Jan. 4., 1952 CONVENTIONAL @wf i CGNVENTIONHL,

INVENTOR W41. KE/e. CANT/151.1..

Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES P OFFICE LABEL OR HANGING LOOP FR GARMENTS,

AND METHOD 0F FORMING AND ATTACH- ING THE SAME Carolina Application 'January 4, 1952, Serial No. 265,020

7 Claims. l

This invention Arelates to a label or hanging loop for garments, and method of forming and attaching the same.

In the manufacture of garments of many kinds, of which undershirts are an example, it is the practice to attach at the back of the neck and inside the garment a label bearing the name of the manufacturer -or the trade-name of the garment. Such label is in the form of a loop which can be employed for hanging the garment on a hook. In the making and attaching of such labels, it is the common practice to utilize a rectangular strip of material within the central portion of which is knitted or otherwise applied the desired name or any other identifying indicia. On the opposite side of such central portion and spaced from the ends thereof, the strip is folded along upwardly ldiverging lines at approximately forty-five degrees to the edges of the strip. When the strip is thus folded, two tabs are formed which project vertically beyond the upper edge of the finished label. These tabs are substantially spaced from each other and they are stitched along lines adjacent but above the upper edge of the indicia-bearing portion of the label.

The conventional method referred t0 has been practiced for many years and has several disadvantages. The substantial spacing of the tabs and the length of the upper edge of the indiciabearing portion of the label in comparison with the relatively short resultant lower edge is such as to render the loop easily rollable or distortable, particularly when laundered. The lower edge of the central portion of the label is free to be accidentally tucked up under the upper portion thereof, thus not onlyobscuring the name of the garment, but rendering it somewhat more difficult to utilize the central portion of the label as a loop for supporting the garment on a hook. Moreover, since thev attaching tabs are stitched transversely of the longitudinal edges thereof, the two tabs are stitched to the garment along lines of limited length with the result that the label or loop is relatively easily ripped from the garment, particularly after it has been laundered a number of times.

I have found that by utilizing a generally rectangular strip similar in form to the strip used in the conventional label referred to above and by folding the strip along lines inclined only slightly from the vertical, attaching tabs are formed which can be far more easily and securely attached to the garment, it being wholly practicable for an operator t0 hold the central portion of the label between a thumb and forenger while it is being stitched in position. I have found further that in so forming the tabs, the overlapping of the tabs not only makes it easier to attach the label, but provides relatively longer lines of attaching stitching. The improved method of forming the label has the additional important advantage of substantially completely preventing the accidental rolling of the indicia-bearing portion of the label. This result is obtained from the novel method of folding the label which results in the formation of an indicia-bearing central portion which has a relatively shorter upper edge and a relatively longer lower edge with the converging lower edge portions of the label tabs underlying the central portion of the label, whereas in conventional constructions, the lower edge of the central portion of the label lies wholly between the attaching tabs.

In the drawing, I have vshown one preferred embodiment of the invention in conjunction with which is illustrated the `conventional method of forming and attaching labels of the character referred to. In this showing,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of the upper part of an undershirt showing Y'the improved label attached thereto,

Figure 2 is an enlarged face view of the label blank showing in dotted lines where the blank is folded to form the finished label,

Figure 3 is a face view of the finished label showing dotted lines extending from the label to indicate the line of the attaching stitches,

Figure fi is a detailed perspective view showing a convenient mode of handling the label during the stitching thereof to a garment,

Figure 5 is a face view of a conventional label showing the forty-five degree lines along which the label ordinarily is folded, and

Figure 6 is a face view of a `conventional label.

Referring rst to Figures 5 and 6, there is illustrated a conventional label from which ra comparison of the present invention will clearly point out the advantages of the latter. The conventional label is formed of a generally rectangular strip of material Il] having a central trademark or other indicia-bearing portion Il and end portions l2 adapted to form tabs when the ends l2 are folded back along the lines i3, at forty-five degree angles to the edges of the blank. In Figure 6, the finished label has been illustrated. The central portion Il, as stated, is adapted to carry the trade-mark of the garment or any other suitable indicia, and the label is folded along lines I4 corresponding to the dotted lines in Figure 5 to form nished attaching tabs I5, corresponding to the end portions I2 in Figure 5.

It will be apparent that the upper edge I6 of the label in Figure 6 is of substantially greater length than the lower edge I 7. It further will be apparent that the edge Il corresponds in length with the distance between the inner edges 3 of the tabs I5, these edges being parallel to each other. In attaching the label, an awkward operation is involved in properly placing the tabs I5 on the garment to be stitched across the tabs at the position indicated by the dotted line I9. This line lies definitely above and wholly free of but adjacent the line I6, the central portion II of the label thus serving the second'purpose of providing a supporting loop for the garment, engageable with a supporting hook.

In actual practice, it has been found that the edge I'I is free to be folded, tucked or rolled upwardly and under the central portion II of the label. In this connection, it will be noted that the entire label below the stitching line I9 is in the nature of a ap free to swing outwardly from the body of the garment so that the edge Il can roll under the central portion of the label. This can very readily occur, and in fact does frequently occur, particularly after the garment has been laundered a number of times, because of the relatively long upper edge I6 and the relatively short lower edge I l, there being a substantial free length of the upper edge of the label portion II between which the lower edge portion can fold or roll. This obscures the label and the indicia thereon and renders it somewhat more difcult to catch hold of the central portion II to use it as a supporting loop. It will be noted that the lower edge I'I lies wholly between the edges I8 and accordingly there is no tendency for the attaching tabs to tend to oppose the rolling or folding of the label.

In Figure 2 of the drawing, there is illustrated a blank 25 adapted for use in the making of the present invention. This blank also is initially rectangular and provides a central indicia-bearing portion 28 and end portions 29 adapted to form attaching tabs as described below when the blank is folded along the dotted lines 30. It will be noted that the inclination of the lines 30 from the vertical is very much less than the forty-live degree angle of the lines I3. In practice, it has been found that the fold lines 30 preferably should be inclined generally in the neighborhood of sixteen degrees from the vertical. This is preferred, but not critical.

The completed label is formed by folding the label ends 29 rearwardly on fold lines SI corresponding to the lines 39, thus forming attaching tabs 32 corresponding to the blank ends 29 in Figure 2.V The resultant label has many structural distinctions and functional advantages over the conventionalrlabel. Referring to Figure 3, it will be noted that the tabs 32 substantially overlap each other at their upper ends and When the label is attached to the garment by being stitched along the line 33, the length of the stitched lines along the tabs is very much longer than the lines of stitching for attaching the tabs I5 in Figure 6. In the latter case, the line of stitching of each tab is equal to the Width of the tab, whereas in Figure 3 the line of stitching is at a relatively great angle with respect to the longitudinal edges of the tabs. Moreover, between approximately the points 34, the two tabs in Figure 3 are stitched to each other. This arrangement provides for a far greater ydegree of security in the attaching of the label, and even after repeated washings, it is extremely dincult deliberately to tear the label from the garment. This clearly'is not true of the limited stitching lengths in the conventional form of label.

Further particular attention is invited to the fact that the upper edge 35 of the central portion 28 is materially shorter than the upper edge IB of the conventional label, while the lower edge 36 is materially longer than the lower` edge I'I of the conventional label. This fact alone limits the free length of the central portion 28 which can move outwardly away from the garment as the lower edge 36 tends to tuck or roll under, and in actual practice, therefore, it has been found that there is practically no tendency for this disadvantageous result to occur.

It also will be noted that the nished tabs 32 have lower edges 3l which converge upwardly and cross at the point 38 below the upper edge 35. Thus it will be noted that a substantial portion of each tab lies beneath the central portion 28 and within the limits of the length of the lower edge 36, which clearly is not true in Figure 6. This arrangement of the edges 3l tends further to prevent the rolling of the edge 35 since such edge can roll only a very short distance before it must include in the roll portions of the tabs adjacent the edges 3l. These tabs accordingly tend further to prevent the tucking under or rolling of the lower portion of the label.

The present label not only has the advantages referred to above, but possesses the further advantage of being attachable to the garment with greater facility. In Figure l, an upper portion of a garment such as an undershirt has been illustrated and referred to generally by the numeral 43. This garment has a neck opening 4I which may be conventionally reinforced as at 42 and within the upper portion of the garment adjacent the back of the neck opening is attached the present label. The label is stitched along the line 33 as stated above, and the stitching 1s performed by a suitable special machine which need not be illustrated or described in the present application.

In Figure 4. there is illustrated a conventional manner of holding the label for stitching. The label generally designated as a whole in Figure 4 by the numeral 133 and corresponding in structure and formation to the label shown in Figure 3 is held between the thumb 415 and forel-Inger l5 of the operator as it is fed to the stitching machine. The fingers of the operator will be sufliciently broad to bridge across adjacent portions of the tabs beneath the point 38, that is, to bridge across the lines 3l. With two fingers, therefore, the operator may grasp the device and hold all parts thereof in the proper positions for stitching in a single operation along the line 33.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention involves a method of forming labels or hanger loops of the present type wherein the method is of eXtreme simplicity, but which greatly facilitates the attaching of the label to a garment. Moreover, it will be apparent that the label itself, and in combination with the garment to which it is attached, embodies many highly desirable characteristics. All this is true in spite of the fact that the present invention is formed from an initial generally rectangular blank strip almost identical with the conventional strips employed for this purpose, the only difference being that the strip of the present device is slightly longer. This slight elongation provides a better overlapping of the attaching tabs whereas the elongation of the tabs in conventional practice would make no difference whatever. The lower edge cannot roll readily upwardly under the central body portion of the label. Accordingly, the name and size of the garment, if the latter is used, remain fully visible for the life of the garment after repeated laundering. Moreover, the central portion Z8 remains nat indefinitely and accordingly readily may be pulled outwardly by the finger to be supported upon a suitable hook.

It is to be understood that the steps of the method and the structure of the device and its specific attachment to the garment as described above and shown in the drawing are illustrative, and that any changes may be made which come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method oi forming and attaching a combined garment label and supporting loop which comprises folding rearwardly along spaced lines the end portions of an elongated rectangular blank to form tab portions and a central label and loop portion between said fold lines, the angles of said fold lines relative to the top and bottom edges of said blank being such that the ends of said tab portions will overlap above the top edge of said central portion, and stitching said tab portions to a garment along a line above, adjacent and parallel to said central portion.

2. The method of forming and attaching a combined garment label and supporitng loop which comprises folding rearwardly along spaced lines the end portions of an elongated rectangular blank to form tab portions and a central label and loop portion between said fold lines, said fold lines being at an angle generally in the neighborhood of sixteen degrees to a line perpendicular to the top and bottom edges of said central portion whereby the ends of said tab portions will overlap above said central portion, and attaching the device to a garment by stitching said tab portions to the garment along a line above, adjacent and parallel to the top edge of said central portion.

3. The method of forming and attaching a combined garment label and supporting loop which comprises folding rearwardly along spaced lines the end portions of an elongated rectangular blank to form tab portions and a central label and loop portion between said fold lines, the angles cf said fold lines relative to the top and bottom edges of said blank being such that the ends of said tab portions will overlap above the top edge of said central portion, and stitching said tab portions to a garment along a line above, adjacent and parallel to said central portion, the overlapping of the ends of said tab portions starting at least as low as the top edge of said central portion whereby there will be continuous tab portions from fold line to fold line where said tab portions are stitched to the garment.

4. The method of forming and attaching a combined garment label and supporting loop which comprises folding rearwardly along spaced lines the end portions of an elongated rectangular blank to form tab portions and a central label and loop portion between said fold lines, said fold lines being at an angle generally in the neighborhood of sixteen degrees to a line perpendicular to the top and bottom edges of said central portion whereby the ends of said tab portions will overlap above said central portion, and attaching the device to a garment by stitching said talc portions to the garment along .a line above, adjacent and parallel to the top edge of said central portion, the overlapping of said tab ends starting at least as low as said line of stitching whereby the latter, from fold line to fold line. will pass continuously through said tab portions with no space therebetween in the line of said stitching.

5. The method of forming and attaching a combined garment label and supporting loop which comprises folding rearwardly along spaced lines the end portions of an elongated rectangular blank to form tab portions and a central label and loop portion between said fold lines, the angles of said fold lines relative to the top and bottom edges of said blank being such that the ends of said tab portions will overlap above the top edge of said central portion, the overlapping of said tab portions extending downwardly at least to the top edge of said central portion and the lower edges of said tab portions diverging from such point to the lower ends of the respective fold lines, grasping the central portion of said label between two fingers with the upper finger overlying said label portion and the lower linger overlying parts of said tab portions adjacent said diverging lines, placing the device so held between two fingers on a garment, and feeding the device and the garment through a stitching machine to attach said tab portions to the garment by a line of stitching above, adjacent and parallel to the upper edge of said central portion.

6. 1n combination with a garment, a combined label and supporting loop comprising a central label portion and integral tab portions connected to said label along downwardly converging :fold lines arranged at such angles relative to said label portion that said tab portions converge upwardly behind said label portions and have their extremities extending above the top edge of said label portion in overlapping relationship, and a line of stitching extending through said tab portions and the garment parallel and .in close proximity to but wholly free of said label portion.

7. In combination with a garment, a combined label and supporting loop comprising a central label portion and integral tab portions connected to said label portion along downwardly converging fold lines arranged at angles generally in the neighborhood of 16 degrees with respect to a line perpendicular to the top and bottom edges of said label portion whereby said tab portions converge upwardly behind said label portion and have their extremities overlapping from a point below the upper edge of said label portion to a point substantially above the top edge of said label portion, and a line of stitching passing through said tab portions parallel and in proximity to but wholly free of said label portion.

WALKER W. CANTRELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,895,599 Zimmer Jan. 3l, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,062 Great Britain Nov. 6, 1893 

